Trauma affects more people than most realize. It does not always look like what you see in movies. It can be a single event or it can be years of living in an environment where you did not feel safe. It can leave marks that are visible and marks that are not. Trauma-informed therapy is not a single technique. It is a way of practicing therapy that recognizes the widespread impact of trauma and adjusts every aspect of treatment to account for it.
At Artisan Counseling, trauma-informed care is a principle that guides how our licensed counselors work with every client.
Trauma-informed therapy is a framework, not a modality. It shapes how your counselor thinks about your concerns, how they structure sessions, how they communicate with you and how they respond when something comes up that is connected to a past experience.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines trauma-informed care around four key assumptions: realizing the widespread impact of trauma, recognizing the signs and symptoms, responding by integrating knowledge about trauma into practice and resisting re-traumatization.
In practical terms, this means your counselor will:
Trauma-informed therapy does not assume that everyone has experienced trauma. It assumes that it is possible, and it structures the therapeutic environment so that if trauma is present, it can be addressed without causing additional harm.
Trauma can affect your brain, your body and your behavior in ways that persist long after the original event has ended.
Your nervous system. Trauma can leave your nervous system stuck in a state of high alert or shutdown. You may experience hypervigilance, startle responses, difficulty relaxing, chronic tension, numbness or fatigue.
Your thoughts. Trauma often produces beliefs about yourself and the world that feel absolutely true, such as “I am not safe,” “I cannot trust anyone” or “It was my fault.”
Your emotions. You may experience intense emotional responses that seem out of proportion to the situation, or you may feel emotionally flat and disconnected.
Your relationships. Trauma can affect how you attach to others, how you handle conflict, how much you trust and how you respond to vulnerability.
Your body. Chronic pain, headaches, digestive issues and sleep disturbances can all be connected to unresolved trauma.
Trauma-informed therapy recognizes all of these effects and addresses them within a framework of safety, collaboration and empowerment.
Trauma-informed therapy at Artisan Counseling is not a single protocol. It is the lens through which all treatment is delivered. Within that lens, your counselor may use specific modalities that are well-suited for trauma work, including:
Your counselor will recommend the approach that fits your situation and will adjust the plan based on how you respond. You will never be pushed into processing something you are not ready for.
You may benefit from a trauma-informed approach if you have experienced:
You may also benefit if you are not sure that what you experienced qualifies as trauma but you notice that certain situations trigger strong emotional or physical responses that do not match the present moment.
It is a framework that informs how therapy is conducted rather than a standalone technique. Your counselor may use any number of modalities within a trauma-informed approach.
No. Trauma-informed therapy respects your pace and your boundaries. Some modalities, such as EMDR and brainspotting, do not require you to provide detailed accounts of your experience.
This varies widely. Some clients see progress in a few months. Others with longer or more layered trauma histories may benefit from extended treatment. Your counselor will work with you to set realistic expectations.
Yes. Many concerns, including anxiety, depression, substance use, relationship difficulties and self-esteem, can be rooted in or influenced by past trauma. A trauma-informed approach ensures those connections are recognized and addressed.
Yes. Trauma-informed therapy is delivered within the context of licensed counseling and billed as a standard session. Contact 757.503.2819 to verify your benefits.